The best retail camera shops in Dublin

jock101 · 06-07-2010 09:51PM #1

Which retail camera shops in Dublin are the best for prices, service and choice!

mdebets · 06-07-2010 10:00PM

For service and price, Gunns wins by a mile.
If you're looking for a DSLR, they have a good choice of Canon and Nikon (but no other and no 3rd party lenses).
They also have compact cameras, but I don't know what choice they have.
For accessories and film, they have a good choice as well.
If they don't have something in stock, they are pretty good with ordering it in.

Al Bino · 06-07-2010 11:32PM

for all the money I have spent in 3 well known Dublin camera shops I have only ever gotten a warm handshake and genuine smile in one.

they now get all my business.

Al

CabanSail · 06-07-2010 11:32PM

The experience of dealing with Gunn's is just so pleasant too. You very quickly stop feeling like a customer and more like a friend. It is a family business and has a different feel about it to other shops.

Thecageyone · 07-07-2010 01:26AM

How are their prices on repair job? I e-mailed them earlier but imagine I won't get a direct quote for my problem until I bring the camera in. I just don't want to head to Dublin just to be told "€200" :eek:

magicbastarder · 07-07-2010 09:55AM

gunn's don't handle repairs in-house - if you need a repair job, you're better off going to one of the dedicated repair companies.

i shop in gunns and in the camera exchange.

Morf3h · 07-07-2010 01:32PM

Ahhh!! Mother of god! They're closed till the 13th and I need a Fastpack 100 by Friday!

magicbastarder · 07-07-2010 01:36PM

yep, they're on their holidays.

the_syco · 07-07-2010 02:06PM

Morf3h wrote: »

Ahhh!! Mother of god! They're closed till the 13th and I need a Fastpack 100 by Friday!

HallCameras on Talbot St sells them for €69 www.hallcameras.ie @ 01 8749597

MiniPhoto in Lucan also have them for €69
http://www.miniphoto.com/product.asp?id=1531 @ 01-6282492

Simplicius · 07-07-2010 10:29PM

another vote for Gunns, would never bother going anywhere else ..

Drummerboy2 · 07-07-2010 10:32PM

i have always found the staff of Dublin Camera Exchange in South Great Georges Street to be extremely helpful and well informed.

pixbyjohn · 07-07-2010 11:14PM

I have always been happy to deal with Bermingham's camera shop.
www.berminghamcameras.ie

thefizz · 08-07-2010 01:22PM

Simplicius wrote: »

another vote for Gunns, would never bother going anywhere else ..

Same here.

Borderfox · 08-07-2010 03:29PM

Gunns by a mile

sineadw · 08-07-2010 09:49PM

Morf3h wrote: »

Ahhh!! Mother of god! They're closed till the 13th and I need a Fastpack 100 by Friday!

My exact reaction when I rang earlier about paper developer. Second choice was Camera exchange, where I've always had good experiences, and the guy on the phone was less than helpful

Gunns FTW!

MaggyM · 08-07-2010 11:37PM

I have been in every camera shop in Dublin over the years and I find Gunn's great but my favourite is Hall's on Talbot street.
The tall young guy in there is very helpful and seems to have a genuine passion for photography (not just the gear), which is something I find oddly lacking in a lot of camera shops.

magicbastarder · 09-07-2010 03:04AM

i've probably mentioned this here before, but when i went into hall's looking for a sigma 30mm f1.4, four thirds mount, i was told it doesn't exist. the shop assistant actually became kinda angry when i insisted he was wrong.

MartMax · 09-07-2010 10:43AM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've probably mentioned this here before, but when i went into hall's looking for a sigma 30mm f1.4, four thirds mount, i was told it doesn't exist. the shop assistant actually became kinda angry when i insisted he was wrong.

Maybe he's right... it didn't exist in his store! :P

Gunns FTW of course, pity it's close till 15 July I think. I'm hunting for a new body but no luck in other shops!

crazyFeet · 09-07-2010 02:52PM

don't know who came up with the opinion that camera exchange is cheap but they are wrong, in my case very wrong. I'v been looking for s90 or lx3 for quite a while now (reasonable pricewise). Camera exchange offered me the highest price so far, even in far uncivilised mayo they told me 415 instead of 490 like CE. P.S if anyone can help me with my search please pm, might reward

Barname · 13-07-2010 04:22AM

Morf3h wrote: »

Ahhh!! Mother of god! They're closed till the 13th and I need a Fastpack 100 by Friday!

John is hardly marching?

Heebie · 13-07-2010 11:51AM

and.. which one is that?

Al Bino wrote: »

for all the money I have spent in 3 well known Dublin camera shops I have only ever gotten a warm handshake and genuine smile in one.

they now get all my business.

Al

Al Bino · 13-07-2010 08:36PM

Heebie wrote: »

and.. which one is that?

Gunns.

magicbastarder · 13-07-2010 08:58PM

i think the problem for the other shops is that gunns have raised the bar so high - it's not that they're the friendliest staff (i use the word advisedly) of any camera shop i've been in in dublin, they're the friendliest staff of any shop i've been in in dublin.

and it's gas the way that rubs off on the customers - my gf was looking for a light meter as a 30th birthday present for me, and went up to gunns cos she knew i shopped there. john gunn served her, and when he heard what she was there for, his face fell and he had to explain that he'd just sold the last one in stock to the chap standing beside her. when the other customer heard the situation, he was happy to hand it back and take a refund as he wasn't in a big hurry for it.

democrates · 14-07-2010 03:09AM

+1 for John Gunn

One thing to watch like a hawk when you buy a new lens in particular is that it hasn't been rented out as some shops do. A display model is usually ok and that fact is a minor bargaining chip.

Higher friendliness won't trump price for me, but rudeness is game over. I found John Gunn to be a gentleman who'll have a laugh with you he has a great philosophy on life as well as business, but the owner of another store was pig ignorant and gratingly arrogant with his 80's suit and loud boorish "I'm the big man" routine, he'd learn by headbutts if he wasn't out of range the insufferable short-arse

lang · 19-07-2010 02:47PM

Hi Guys,

My gf is looking to buy the Panasonic Lumix G2. Couple of questions regarding this.

1. Would it come recommended? (Would be used for basic shots. Nothing spectacular needed. Think she might take photography up as a bit of a hobby perhaps).

2. If recommended, where is the best place in Dublin City/South Dublin to buy one for a decent price?

3. If not recommended, then could you give suggestions of other DSLR to buy?

Any help greatly received.

enterprise · 19-07-2010 09:49PM

I've brough the majority of my camera equipment in Gunns since I've got interested in photography in 2006. I find there service 2nd to none and always with a friendly smile and helpful advice.

Up in Dublin next weekend and i'm tempted to add an external flash to my growing DSLR collection. I'll be popping into Gunns if I do decide to purchase!

Enterprise.

thebaz · 23-07-2010 05:22PM

just to say was in Gunns today - great experience as always - nice to see a photo of Danny "Valentia" on the wall - 2 legends

lang · 23-07-2010 06:05PM

lang wrote: »

Hi Guys,

My gf is looking to buy the Panasonic Lumix G2. Couple of questions regarding this.

1. Would it come recommended? (Would be used for basic shots. Nothing spectacular needed. Think she might take photography up as a bit of a hobby perhaps).

2. If recommended, where is the best place in Dublin City/South Dublin to buy one for a decent price?

3. If not recommended, then could you give suggestions of other DSLR to buy?

Any help greatly received.

Got it all sorted. The gf went out the other and picked up a standard digital camera from the place that used to be Pixels on Liffey Street. Said the guy she dealt with was very helpful and was able to advise her on what she needed/wanted the camera for. Thanks forth advise given.

punchdrunk · 23-07-2010 08:12PM

lang wrote: »

Got it all sorted. The gf went out the other and picked up a standard digital camera from the place that used to be Pixels on Liffey Street. Said the guy she dealt with was very helpful and was able to advise her on what she needed/wanted the camera for. Thanks forth advise given.

I'm pretty sure that was me

punchdrunk · 23-07-2010 08:15PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've probably mentioned this here before, but when i went into hall's looking for a sigma 30mm f1.4, four thirds mount, i was told it doesn't exist. the shop assistant actually became kinda angry when i insisted he was wrong.

it's not imported into Ireland by the distributor in 4/3'rds mount,as they don't shift enough units to warrant importing it iirc
so I'm guessing when he rang up it was in fact them telling him that it didn't exist i.e it's not on their system

magicbastarder · 23-07-2010 08:20PM

nah, he told me straight off it didn't exist, without checking; i told him he could check it on the web but he refused.

The best retail camera shops in Dublin

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